Win Big Game Prizes With Our Tokyo Game Show 2014 Guide

This month, Virgin Atlantic is giving big love to Japan in honour of Tokyo Game Show 2014, starting with our essential gamer’s guide to Tokyo. Check it out to discover what the UK’s top game critics have to say about the legendary districts of Akihabara and Shibuya, and why gamers need to put a holiday to Tokyo on their to-do list.

We’re also giving you, the gaming public, a chance to win some stellar prizes, including a Wii U console, a selection of PS4 games and other goodies. You can enter our competition further down the page.

Tokyo Game Show 2014 runs from September 18th to the 21st and will see the industry’s biggest names descend on the Makuhari Messe convention centre just outside the city. This is going to be one of the biggest years in the show’s history, with game companies from around the world showing off the best new titles on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii U and other formats.

That’s why we asked our critics back to share their thoughts on the Tokyo Game Show, and to discover what titles they’re most looking forward to at the show. We’ve also got Sony weighing in with their thoughts on what has been a big year for gaming.

Why Tokyo Game Show 2014 is one to watch

It’s impossible to downplay Japan’s important role in helping to put gaming on the worldwide map. If it wasn’t for the likes of Shigeru Miyamoto’s Super Mario Bros. and Taito’s Space Invaders, the industry might not be the entertainment juggernaut it is today. While Japan’s significance in gaming may have shrunk thanks to the West catching up, there’s no denying it’s still an important part of game culture.

David Wilson, PlayStation’s head of UK PR tells us why he feels Tokyo Game Show is important, saying, “There are announcements from big players and some sizable stands, the opportunity to play the latest games and games tech, including often quirky Japanese titles that won’t see the light of day in the west.

“But it is more about the experience with kids dressed in amazing cosplay outfits and attendees dressed as games characters that grace each stand who are only too happy to pose for pictures with grinning otaku. There’s at least half a hall devoted to selling games merchandise, which is always quite a draw for Japanese games aficionados.”

The Guardian Games Editor Keith Stuart adds, “TGS is still fascinating. If you love traditional role-playing games – this is where you’ll see them first. Titles like Monster Hunter, Dragons Dogma, and Final Fantasy are the big draws and you get to discover lots more niche JRPG and mech battle games that you’ll struggle to find on the show floor at E3 or gamescom. And there are still hundreds of cos-players and cool stands selling gorgeous merchandise and super high-end arcade quality controllers. It is a cultural experience as much as a games event.”

The biggest games light up Tokyo

Tokyo Game Show promises to be full of the biggest blockbuster games the industry has to offer, with rivals Sony and Microsoft showcasing their latest titles for for PS4 and Xbox One respectively. Japanese giant Nintendo is playing to its home advantage with what promises to be a strong showing on Wii U and 3DS.

They’re joined by local legend Square Enix, which is poised to reveal Dragon Quest: Heroes for PS4 and PS3 at the show. Yuji Horii’s acclaimed series holds a Guinness World record for the longest-running Japanese Role-Playing Game series, while fellow JRPG juggernaut Final Fantasy is colossal in Japan, with some 110 million sales to date.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, The Evil Within, published in Japan by Square Enix

“Bloodborne looks incredibly interesting,” Stuart continues. “Hidetaka Miyazaki has taken the ideologies behind Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls and taken them in a weird goth punk direction. Also, we’ve just heard that Persona 5, the latest title in the fascinatingly offbeat RPG series from cult developer Atlus will be there – and that series typifies the lasting appeal of Japanese game design: brave, idiosyncratic and unpredictable.”

“I have a weird fascination with the games Japan makes for Japan,” Eurogamer news Editor Wesley Yin-Poole adds. “The Musou games are all the rage in the boardrooms of Tokyo game publishers, but rarely make an impression in the west. And as someone who grew up playing Final Fantasy games, I’ll always have a soft spot for Japanese role-playing games. Oh, and fingers crossed for a new Street Fighter. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Tokyo Game Show may focus heavily on Japanese development, but it’s worth noting that an increasing number of the nation’s celebrated creators are still making big waves with their games in the west, from Hideo Kojima’s sensational Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain to Shinji Mikami’s spiritual successor to Resident Evil, The Evil Within. It’s clear that Japan is an essential cog in the game industry’s global machine.

Tokyo Game Show 2014 promises to be the city’s biggest gaming expo in recent years, and it’s only going to get bigger thanks to the success of PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Wii U. If you want to mark a trip to the show off your bucket list and immerse yourself in the height of gaming and tech culture, Virgin Atlantic’s Tokyo flights can help make it happen.

Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn – Collector’s Edition game for PlayStation 4

infamous: Second Son game for PlayStation 4

GRID Autosport game for PlayStation 3

Ultra Street Fighter 4 game for Xbox 360

Pac-Man ghost plushie

Dark Souls 2 t-shirt

One second prize winner will receive:

Knack game on PS4

Defiance game on Xbox 360

Star Trek game on Xbox 360

Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn – Collector’s Edition game on PlayStation 3

Ultra Street Fighter 4 game on Xbox 350.

Pac-Man ghost plushie

Dark Souls 2 t-shirt

Finally, we’ve got eight runners-up, who will each receive:

Ultra Street Fighter 4 game on Xbox 360

Pac-Man ghost plushie

Dark Souls 2 t-shirt

How to Enter

All you have to do to enter is answer this simple question:

“What is your favourite game and why?”

To enter, login via the Facebook Connect button below and leave your answer within the comments section. For full details of the competition please read our terms and conditions below. Good Luck!

This competition starts at 00.01 (GMT) on 11.09.14 and will close at 23.59 (GMT) on 22.09.14

Tokyo Game Show Promotion

A. Entry into this promotion (the “Promotion“) is open to residents of the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands aged 16 years or over, except for employees of Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited and agencies directly connected with creation of and administration of this Promotion and their families.

B. There will be ten prizes (“Prize(s)“) available as follows:

One First Prize

Nintendo Wii U Black 32GB Premium console with Mario Kart 8 game

Killzone: Shadow Fall game for PlayStation 4

Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn – Collector’s Edition game for PlayStation 4

infamous: Second Son game for PlayStation 4

GRID Autosport game for PlayStation 3

Ultra Street Fighter 4 game for Xbox 360

Pac-Man ghost plushie

Dark Souls 2 t-shirt

One Second Prize

Knack game on PS4

Defiance game on Xbox 360

Star Trek game on Xbox 360

Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn – Collector’s Edition game on PlayStation 3

Ultra Street Fighter 4 game on Xbox 350.

Pac-Man ghost plushie

Dark Souls 2 t-shirt

Eight runner-up Prizes

Ultra Street Fighter 4 game on Xbox 360

Pac-Man ghost plushie

Dark Souls 2 t-shirt

Terms and Conditions

1. By submitting your entry you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.

2. To enter participants must answer the following question:

“What is your favourite game and why?”

2.1 To enter click the Facebook log-in at the bottom of the blog. Enter your log-in information and then write your comment. Then click the “Post your comment” button.

2.2 Participants may enter either via their valid Facebook account or alternatively by sending an email to: blogeditor@fly.virgin.com with the subject heading: “What is your favourite game and why?”.

3. Entries must be submitted between 00.01hours (GMT) on 11 September 2014 and 23.59hours (GMT) on 22 September 2014. Entries received outside of these times will not be considered.

4. No purchase is necessary to enter however participants must pay their own costs of connecting to the Internet.

5. Only one Entry will be accepted per person. In the event an individual submits two Entries then, subject to clause11 below, the first one in time will be counted.

6. Full name, date of birth and valid e-mail address (“Relevant Information“) must be available to Promoter. If entering by e-mail, please provide name and date of birth. All details are subject to verification. Virgin Atlantic reserves the right to ask for proof of age from all Winners. If a Winner is found to be under the age of 16, another name will be drawn at random to receive the relevant Prize.

7. Any Entry received without Relevant Information will not be entered into the Draw. The Relevant Information will only be used by us for the purposes of administering the Promotion, contacting the Prize winners and otherwise in accordance with these Terms and Conditions. Please see our privacy policy at www.virginatlantic.com for more information about how we look after personal data.

8. All eligible Entries shall be placed in a draw (the “Draw“) from which ten prize (“Winners“) will be selected at random on Wednesday 24 September 2014 (the “Draw Date“). For your confidence the Draw will be conducted using a random electronic generator system.

9. The Winners shall be notified by Virgin Atlantic using the contact details provided by participants within four working days of the Draw Date.

10. If Virgin Atlantic cannot establish contact with the Winners within 7 days of the Draw Date, Virgin Atlantic reserves the right to arrange for another name to be drawn at random to receive the relevant Prize.

11. Bulk entries made from trade or consumer groups will not be accepted. Incomplete, illegible, entries by macros or other automated means (including systems which can be programmed to enter), and entries which do not satisfy the requirements of these terms and conditions in full will be disqualified and will not be counted. If it becomes apparent that an entrant is using a computer(s) to circumvent this condition by, for example, the use of “˜script’, “˜brute force’, masking their identity by manipulating IP addresses, using identities other than their own or any other automated means in order to increase that participant’s entries into the draw in a way that is not consistent with the spirit of the promotion, that person’s entries will be disqualified and any Prize award will be void.

12. Participants must submit their own work. Each Participant warrants that their Entry and all information which they submit does not infringe the intellectual property, privacy or any other rights of any third party, and does not contain anything which is libellous, defamatory, obscene, indecent, harassing or threatening.

13. Receipt of Entries will not be acknowledged. Virgin Atlantic does not accept any responsibility or liability for lost submissions or Entries which are delayed, damaged, corrupted, incomplete or not received.

14. This Promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. You understand that you are providing your information to the Promoter and not to Facebook.

15. All entries must comply with the Facebook Terms of Use, the Facebook Code of Conduct and any other Facebook terms or policies in operation from time to time.

16. It is a condition of accepting the Prizes that the Winners give consent to the Promoter to publish their name and county of residence in association with the Prize in any and all forms or media as required by law or otherwise in connection with the promotion of the Promoter. Winners may be expected to participate in reasonable publicity.

17. The name and county of the Winners are available upon request by sending an e-mail to: blogeditor@fly.virgin.com.

18. Virgin Atlantic reserves the right to substitute the Prizes for an alternative equivalent prize if for any reason beyond the control of Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Atlantic is unable to award the Prizes. No cash alternative will be available in whole or in part.

19. By sending submissions, participants agree to release the Promoter from any liability whatsoever for any claims, costs, injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with the Promotion or with the acceptance, possession, or use of any Prize (except death or personal injury caused by the Promoter’s negligence, for fraud, or otherwise as prohibited by law).

20. The Promoter’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

21. The Winners accept their prizes at his/her own risk.

These terms and conditions are subject to English law and the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.